“Invisible Boys” And “Heated Rivalry” Land 2026 Peabody Award Nominations
Two DNA reader favourites, Invisible Boys and Heated Rivalry have been nominated for the 86th Annual Peabody Awards, placing two of the past year’s biggest queer series among the most celebrated storytelling in American media. They’re joined by a third LGBTQIA+ title, Mr Loverman, in an entertainment category of 15 nominees selected unanimously by 28 jurors from more than 1,000 entries.
The little Aussie series is punching well above its weight
For Invisible Boys, the nomination is a seriously impressive achievement. The Stan Original, which premiered in February 2025, is the only Australian title in the category. It’s up against big-budget productions like Andor, The Pitt, and Adolescence, with a fraction of their resources and creative infrastructure.
obrigado por invisible boys! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/XaANoZYiO6
— ᴏ ʟᴇɴɪᴇ☆ (@lenypiper) March 4, 2025
Based on Holden Sheppard’s award-winning 2019 novel, the series follows a group of gay teens in the remote Western Australian coastal town of Geraldton during the divisive 2017 same-sex marriage plebiscite. Directed by Nicholas Verso and produced by Tania Chambers, it stars Zach Blampied, Aydan Calafiore, Joe Klocek, and Joseph Zada.
Sheppard described the nomination as “Wild,” noting the show’s presence alongside major Hollywood productions. Verso said he was “speechless.”
“I’m mind-blown that our show is getting such massive recognition in the United States!” Sheppard told Matthew Myers for DNA. “The Peabody Awards are one of the most prestigious in the world. It’s like the Pulitzer Prize for the entertainment world, and Invisible Boys is sandwiched between Heated Rivalry and Jimmy Kimmel Live! I’m now jokingly referring to Jimmy as ‘my peer and equal’. But I’m so honoured by it all, and it’s thanks to the incredible cast, crew, writers and directors, who brought my story to life. I want to give a huge shoutout to the producer, Tania Chambers, who made it all possible! She was a joy to work with. I hope this nomination will make Invisible Boys visible in the US!”
For fans wanting more from that world, Sheppard’s sequel novel Yeah The Boys drops on 28 April.
A 96% Rotten Tomatoes score speaks for itself
Heated Rivalry barely needs an introduction at this point. Created by Jacob Tierney and based on Rachel Reid’s bestselling novel, the Canadian series follows hockey players Shane Hollander (Hudson Williams) and Ilya Rozanov (Connor Storrie) through eight years of secret romance and fierce on-ice competition.
It premiered on Crave and HBO Max in November 2025 and quickly became one of the most talked-about queer series in years, holding a 96% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes from 89 reviews. A second season adapting Reid’s sequel The Long Game is already in development for spring 2027.
Winners will be announced on 23 April, with the ceremony taking place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills on 31 May. Have you been watching either of these shows? At DNA, we’ve had our eye on both for a while.
Hudson Williams and Connor Storie in Heated Rivalry. (Accent Aigu Entertainment/Bell Media)
